Impatiens plant named `Fify Violet`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant, and named `Fify Violet` is provided. `Fify Violet` is distinct in its violet flower color, small slightly cup shaped flowers, early flowering and small-leafed basal branching growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofimpatiens, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, and hereinreferred to by the cultivar name `Fify Violet`, and is characterized bythe following combinations of repeatedly observed traits:

1. Very free flowering,

2. Small, single, slightly cup shaped flowers,

3. Basal branching with small leaves, and

4. Early flowering.

Asexual reproduction of this cultivar by stem cuttings taken duringNovember, 1996, at Andijk, The Netherlands, has demonstrated that thecharacteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixedand are retained through successive generations of such asexualpropagation, such reproduction establishing that the plant does in factmaintain the characteristics described in successive generations. Thefemale parent (i.e., the seed parent) was an Impatiens walleriana namedIN-1796-3 (unpatented) and the male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was anImpatiens walleriana named IN-1444-1 (unpatented). The cross was made in1995 and the seedling was selected in 1996.

This new cultivar has been identified as Impatiens `Fify Violet`. Thenew cultivar is being marketed under the trademark name Firefly Violet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographicdrawings in full color, the colors shown being as true as can bereasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the buds, flowers, and foliage.

FIG. 2 shows buds and the upper and lower sides of flower and foliage.

FIG. 3 shows a top perspective view of typical plants of the newcultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following observations and measurements describe plants grownoutside in the field in Andijk, The Netherlands. Measurements wererecorded in August, 1997, on plants approximately 14 weeks old. Fullydeveloped organs were used for measurements and color descriptions,unless otherwise indicated. Color references are made to the R.H.S.Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, exceptwhere general color terms of ordinary significance are used.

`Fify Violet` has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment andhorticultural practices, such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, fertilization and propagation procedure, without any change ingenotype.

Parentage:

Female parent.--Impatiens walleriana IN-1796-3 (unpatented).

Male parent.--Impatiens walleriana IN-1444-1 (unpatented).

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Stem (internodal) cutting with two nodes and attachedleaves.

Time to initiate roots.--10-14 days at 70-75 degrees F. with a fullydeveloped root mass at 21 days.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous, branching, adventitious root system.

Plant description:

Form.--Upright.

Growth habit.--Upright branching plant habit with upper leaves andflowers produced in whorls. When grown in a 4 inch pot for 10-12 weeksthe height is approximately 3-4 inches and the width is approximately 4inches.

Foliage description.--Leaves are simple. Lower leaf arrangement isalternate with upper leaves arranged in whorls of 5. Leaf shape islanceolate to elliptic with acute apex and acute base. Leaf size is 3.5cm×2 cm. Leaf margin is crenate with ciliation. Leaf surface isglabrous. Leaf color is green. The upper surface is yellow-green group147A. Under surface is yellow-green group 147B. Venation is pinnate 147Afor the upper surface and 147B for the lower surface.

Petiole.--Petiole length is 2 cm; and diameter is 0.2 cm; Color isyellow-green 147C.

Flower description:

Flowering habit.--Rooted cutting to full flowering plant in six weeks.Indeterminate, flowering continuously. Flowers develop in the upper leafaxils.

Natural flowering season.--Flowers continuously throughout the year.

Flowers borne.--Singly on pedicels which are yellow-green 145A and 1-1.5cm long in clusters of 2-7 flowers with a peduncle color of yellow-green145A and length of 1-1.5 cm long.

Spur.--Short spurred; length is 3 cm; color is 57C.

Buds.--Buds are oval-shaped at first color 74A; size is 0.8 cm×0.5 cm.

Quantity of flowers.--Floriferous. Each axillary cluster of 2-7 flowersdeveloping progressively from the leaf whorls so that buds as well asmature flowers are visible at the same time in large numbers.

Petals.--Number of petals 5, with all petals overlapping consisting of 1round petal approximately 1 cm and 4 oval petals approximately 1.5 cmlength and 0.8 cm width. Top three petals are slightly cupped.

Flower color.--Upper surface: Red-purple group 74A. Lower surface:Red-purple group 74B.

Flower size.--Approximately 2.5 cm wide and 2 cm long.

Reproductive organs.--Complete pistil, anthers as cap over the pistildropping off when flower ages. No pollen.

Disease and Insect Resistance

No known susceptibility to diseases or insects noted to date.

Comparison with the Known Cultivars

When `Fify Violet` is compared to Impatiens `Purple Chico` (unpatented),it is found that `Fify Violet` exhibits a more vigorous plant habit andis also more floriferous.

When `Fify Violet` is compared to IN-1796-3 and IN-1444-1, the parentalcultivars, the flower size and plant habit are quite different. `FifyViolet` has a smaller flower size than either parental cultivar and`Fify Violet` also has a more compact plant habit than either of theparents.

When `Fify Violet` is compared to `Fify White`, co-pending U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 09/078,641, and `Fify Lavender`, co-pendingU.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/078,581, the main differenceis in flower color. The flower color of the instant cultivar is reddishpurple while the flower color of `Fify White` is white and the flowercolor of `Fify Lavender` is much lighter purple, or lavender.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named `FifyViolet`, substantially as described and illustrated herein,characterized particularly as to novelty by its violet flower color,small, slightly cup shaped flowers, early flowering and small-leafedbasal branching growth habit.